1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having a Web (World Wide Web) browser installed thereon, which is capable of printing out image data obtained by the Web browser from Websites via the Internet or etc. and other image data; a billing method of the image forming apparatus; and a computer readable recording medium having a billing program recorded therein to make a computer execute processing.
2. Description of the Related Art
The following description sets forth the inventor's knowledge of related art and problems therein and should not be construed as an admission of knowledge in the prior art.
Among the image forming apparatuses such as MFPs (Multi Function Peripherals) that are multifunctional digital machines collectively having a plurality of functions, for example the copy function, the print function and the facsimile function, there exist some image forming apparatuses having a Web browser installed thereon, which is software to view Web pages and obtain image data from Websites.
Such image forming apparatuses generally have a counter that counts the number of printed sheets and bills a print fee according to the counter. Installation of the Web browser as mentioned above serves to print out image data obtained from Websites via the Internet or etc. and eventually create more opportunities for printing and promote print practice, which is one of the intentions thereof.
However, such a configuration also allows using the Web browser without using print services, which hardly provides the effect of promoting print practice.
Consequently, a function is added on the image forming apparatuses to bill to users, a usage fee for using a Web browser in addition to a print fee, in order to make a return on the cost for the Web browser and prevent unlimited use of the Web browser.
As disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2002-366471, there exists a technology to print Internet advertisement information together with personally-identifying information owned by a portable electronic device such as a cell-phone, and printer's environmental information, onto a print result of information owned by the portable electronic device. And thereby, an amount billed is reduced if such advertisement information is printed out.
And as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2002-108578, there exists a technology to print an advertisement together with print data obtained from a user's owning terminal. And thereby, the user receives print services for free.
However, such a configuration to bill a usage fee for using a Web browser in addition to a print fee, requires users who intentionally use the Web browser for print services, to pay both a usage fee for using a Web browser and a print fee without discount benefits. Thus, installation of a Web browser produces the opposite effect against promoting print practice and it does not provide benefits for users who use the Web browser to use print services.
Furthermore, the technologies disclosed in the two publications described above do not provide a complete resolution against these inconveniences.
The description herein of advantages and disadvantages of various features, embodiments, methods, and apparatus disclosed in other publications is in no way intended to limit the present invention. Indeed, certain features of the invention may be capable of overcoming certain disadvantages, while still retaining some or all of the features, embodiments, methods, and apparatus disclosed therein.